Since magic is such a personal and individualized practice, you may find that your best spells will be ones you’ve written and performed yourself. This may sound complicated, but it’s only as simple (or ornate) as you’d like to make it.
Step 1.
Start by getting a clear idea of your goal and get a mental image of what that will look like (ex, for a happiness, you would want a clear vision of yourself being happy going about your daily activities). This is arguably the most important part; you can’t have a successful spell if you don’t know what it means for it to be a success. Meditate on it, describe it in detail, but don’t begin anything until you have a firm idea in your head.
Step 2.
After this, decide what type of spell you want to create. A candle spell for a quick result, or something to carry for long-term use? Do you want it to be simple, like more general happiness in your life, or more in depth, like to earn a specific job position by the end of the month? Try to oriente your spell to be themed to your goal.
Here are a couple popular methods to get you started:
🔮 Candle Spells
– Small candle = quick results, short term, but only a small burst of power
– Medium candles = burned over a few sessions, gives the spell length, effects last longer, but typically slows down the appearance of immediate results
– Large candles = burned in sessions over weeks or months, contains much more power, lasts much longer, but can take the most time before results are seen
🔮 Sachets, Charms, Enchanted Jewelry
– Sachets, herb pillows, etc. are quick to make and are designed for a slow release of magic over time
– Charms usually have an inherently magical function making it unnecessary to charge them, but while they last the longest, they are usually not as powerful as other spells
– Enchanting jewelry or tokens mimics a charm, which makes them easy to disguise and mundane objects with secret magical functions, but they must be periodically recharged to retain their magic
🔮 Cord/Knot Magic
– String/cord is an excellent symbol for many things, making it an ideal representation. For example, in a binding, you could tie a black string around a doll or poppet to symbolize the magic “tying them up”. You can also tie it to yourself and a symbol of someone else to link you two, or tie it and cut it to break a bond with someone.
– Knots are excellent tools for storing magic and energy until it is time to be released. This way, you could put a spell (like a spell for money) into the cord and tie a knot, and then later, when you need that money, you can untie the knot to release the magic of the spell.
🔮 Verbal/Written Spells
– Verbal power can be the strongest method of channeling, your voice and your words are sacred and can be used to summon a lot of your power. Chanting, singing, performing poetry, reading spells aloud, or simply speaking your intent in a commanding way can be a spell all it’s own. You may feel shy at first, but many witches over time develop what can be called their “Summoner’s Voice” which is a very serious, powerful manner of speaking that you only use to cast magic, which makes it uniquely powerful.
– Written spells are just as powerful, because it is still using words and language, which contain the natural power of change. Writing out a spell, poem, song, affirmation (ex, “I am healthy”), prayer, etc. can be a stand-alone spell as well. You can also sleep on your writing, place magical items on the page, or especially burn it to release its magic.
Step 3.
Decide if you want to add anything to your spell to add energy to it. Performing only verbal spells can be very efficient, but it is also terribly exhausting as it draws entirely on your energy.
Spell ingredients are added so that some of the energy added comes from something other than you. Herbs, crystals, metals, etc. all vibrate with their own energy which, if added properly, can contribute to your spell and make it stronger/last longer/go into effect faster/etc.
To figure out if something will be beneficial to your spell, you can try to sense it’s vibrations or look up common associations. For example, if you are doing a love spell, you could look up and find that yarrow and rose quartz both commonly resonate with love, which would make both of them suitable for your spell.
Ideas for what to add to your spell to make it stronger:
🔮 Crystals are so popular in witchcraft because there are a lot of them vibrating with lots of different frequencies, giving you lots of options for what to use for your spell. Set them in designs, put them on top of your written spells or sigils, add them to spell bags, or even just hold them during your spell and carry them afterwards to help give your spell focus.
🔮 Herbs function like crystals, but unfortunately can’t be recharged as well. However, they pack more initial energy and typically have more specific associations (ex, whereas rose quartz may just resonate with love in general, an herb like black medic might be as specific as “love, but only between young adults which ends up leading more to separate self-discovery and individual growth than to holy matrimony”). The downside to herbs, as amazing as they are, is that they demand A LOT of studying to be used properly. Herbs can be very dangerous, especially when taken internally, and require as much attention, education, and caution as chemicals and medication. (For example, if someone you know has Crohn’s Disease, and you as the witch look up associations for stomach pain, arriving at chamomile to help soothe their stomach, they could end up in the ER with severe stomach cramps. Many herbs conflict with medications, especially antidepressants, sleep medication, and birth control, so read and study and above all TALK TO YOUR GODDAMNED DOCTOR IF YOU WANT TO GET ON HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS OR WANT TO INGEST HERBS AS PART OF YOUR PRACTICE.)
🔮 Insence that you associate with your goal, or if you don’t/can’t use fire, use scented water or oil warmers can add a great boost to the spell, and can be designated and lit continuously afterwards to keep energy going into the spell if it is long-term.
🔮 Oils (acting like concentrated versions of the herb) can be more potent than the dried plant. Use it as incense, to anoint yourself or your tools to give them a boost. (Use extreme caution, oil extracts can cause serious harm if you don’t research them first!)
🔮 Colors can be used to your advantage as well! Color assocations are very personal, however, so be sure to only use a color if it actually evokes the desired feelings out of you. For example, if you’re doing a spell for stress relief, and green relaxes you, use green candles, cloths, or crystals even if most spells would call for blue.
Step 4.
Choosing where and when to perform your spell can give more power to your spell. A spell for releasing emotional baggage would do well performed on the full moon, and a spell to become more beautiful would have the most help in spring. Some spells happen spontaneously, when you couldn’t care less what planet is in which house or what day of the week it is, and this is perfectly fine as well. Sometimes waiting too long to perform a spell can kill the momentum you had when writing it, but some spells need a lot of planning.
Some things you can consider:
– Moon phase
– Astrological calendar
– Days of the week
– Days of the month/year
– Time of year
– Holidays
– Time of day/night
– Personal anniversaries
– Weather
Time and date can have personal associations as well, so while some people associate fall with the end of a cycle, you may see it as the original beginning.
Again, your spells can be as simple or as complicated as you want. They don’t have to fit any template or style. This is just to get you started and to help you along when you’re first starting, but you’ll realise the more you practice that you do have your own style and method and associations, and that will lend your spells the basic power they would be nothing without~☆
Does anyone know what type of tree this might be from? Most of the bark peeled off but I tried to get pictures that showed the remaining bark
WARNING: I am a sarcastic butthole and it shows through out this hot mess of a post. This is some random craft junk I have learned in my days of practicing witchcraft
Witch craft is not magic.
I don’t care what you have heard. Witchcraft is not magic. It can not turn your eyes different colors. It can not make you into a animal. You will not be able to control the weather or summon wind with your fingers. Ghosts will not do as you say. This is not Harry Potter. Case closed
Intent over tools
Do you think it’s gonna matter if you use a butter knife as an athame? Or you have to sub a white candle for another color because you don’t have the funds to buy that color? Or you had to leave out an ingredient because you don’t have it or you’re allergic? No, it’s not. Witchcraft (to me) is about mind over matter. If you are making an effort for your God/god/goddess/deity/elf/fae/etc it isn’t gonna matter what or how you got there, but the intent you had getting there
Cursing and hexing is up to you and your beliefs
Totally up to you if you believe that this is okay or not. However, if you don’t like this, do not go and tell someone else it’s wrong. If they ask you how you feel you can tell them it’s not your thing. If you do like this, do not go and tell someone else it’s fine and try to get them to accept it. If they ask you about it, you can tell them that you are into it
You do not have to have an alter
It’s up to you and your practice. And if you can where you are etc. If you want one and can not have one, draw one or, my favorite, Set up a pinterest board for your god/goddess/fae/elf/deity etc. and save things that you thing relate to them.
It’s not about fancy stuff
This goes back to intent over tools, as long as you are comfortable with what you are doing and using, do it and use it. I use salsa and yogurt containers, coffee filters taped together, M&M tubes, and envelopes to keep crap in. I use a 99¢ Wal-Mart bandanna to do spells on that I got from Girl Scout camp and it has rainbow peace signs all over it. Do I care? Nope. Does anyone else care or will they judge you? Nope. we are all in the same boat here.
Hand making things is way too underrated
I LOVE hand making things. Whether you are good or bad at it, it is a good way to save money, and personalize it just for you. Example: I made tarot cards out of printer paper that I cut out and wrote the card name, and definition of what it means (to me) and I love them. Pencil wand? Yas queen. DIY cauldron out of play-dough? Frick me u p daddy.
DONT EAT/SMOKE/DRINK SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT
You’d think I would have to include this bUT Some things are okay to consume. Sometimes if taking a certain medicine you can’t consume that. Sometimes you are allergic to one thing, and in turn you will be allergic to that thing too. Sometimes you are pregnant and it’S HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO CONSUME THINGS WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT IT DOES
Never ignore professional medical advice and help in favor of witchcraft methods.
Case c l o s e d
Spirit workers
Not nice spirits can attach to people who have depression and anxiety more so than people who don’t
There are good and bad spirits. if one makes you feel comfomy, do not feel bad for asking it to leave/getting rid of it
Don’t ask your tarot cards every time you have a question
This happens a lot. Especially when you get a new deck and it’s so new and shiny and you can’t w a i t to get your grubby little hands on it and do crap but you don’t want to get into the habbit of “ohgoshgollybatman I have to go to the store, okay let’s see if I’ll get hit by a car… oh and do I really need the applejuice..” or “do I REALLY need this plant..” bc the answer to that is always yes duh
Divination is not for predicting the future
Now stay with me, it is for guiding you in the future. It can not tell you what day you are going to die, who you are going to marry, etc
The future is not written in stone
Let’s sayyyyy you do a simple past, present, and future reading with tarot, and you get a bad reading for the future, it doesn’t matter. That is how it is going right now, now you can see what you need to change etc
You dont need a fancy journal for a grimore or book of shawdows
Heckadoodle I use a binder and notebook paper so I can move stuff around. I just write with a pencil and pen, and color with dollar store crayons or collered pencils. Now, you may be thinking, “Oh but, it’s a nice binder right?” Lemme stop you right there. It is falling apart, needs to be ducktaped, has a picture of my doggo inside and I’ve used it for school for abouutt.. 7 years? Summin’ it up: It don’t gotta be fancy
If you forget to blow out candles set a timer on your phone
I do this all the freaking time and I’ll leave a candle out, and then here comes mother. Closet underage witches know the struggle. Trying to explain why you have a burning candle left in your room. Or if you are adult and have to adult after a spell or whatever and leave the house and come back to the candle just sittin’ there. Burning away. (my mom did this once and it caught her table on fire) Timer. Yep.
You don’t have to know a certain language
This is more focused to me bc i am nerd but okie dokie I know Latin from school, therefore I mix it into my spells (like some on @witchy-recipes-and-things) and provide a translation. I don’t want anyone to think you have to have a certain language for your craft.
How to Ouija
Tbh this is too long already so if you want another post on it tell me and I’ll make one and link it
Sigils can be drawn everywhere
In your phone case, in your wallet, in a shoe, under fingernail polish, under seats, wherever whatever-I can also elaborate more on this
TAROT IS PRONOUNCED “TARO”
CONSENT IS KEY
When doing love spells, consent from the other person is a must.
You can be a christian, athiest, pagan, whatever, and still do witchcraft
It is about the craft, not religion
Witchcraft is not a religion, Wicca is
And you do not have to be Wiccan to partake in Witchcraft
Sage doesn’t have to be in cone shape to burn it
I put rubbed sage meant for cooking on a metal plate and torch the sucker Shane Dawson style but with one of the long lighters, then run around my house in my underware screaming “MAY THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPEL YOU BITCH” in Latin
When cleansing
OPEN.THE.WINDOWS.WHEN.DEALING.WITH.SMOKE Trust your witch mother who is allergic to everything and is an asthmatic, open the windows and doors. Also, as the smoke leaves you room through the windows or whatever, the spirits/bad vibes/etc leave with it
You don’t have to believe everything you read
Witchcraft is how YOU feel about things. No matter how other people feel about things
You can have your own corresponces for things
Like I think cinnamon is hot, deals with the sun, direction south, used for healing love etc., but it can be totally different for you
Divination doers do not have to be witches and witches do not have to be divination doers
S T U D Y
Can not stress this enough. This is the best thing to do even if you can not practice your craft where you are atm. knowledge is power.
So here is a list I’ve complied 😀 (yes I’ve made all of these, I was too bored to ask people’s permission to add things, sue me) (All of the spells are all religion inclusive)
Referring to “When cleansing”, Line two, words 3-4, I am now your witch mother and if you ever have any questions feel free to ask! This list was requested from a witchling and if you have any requests feel free to ask :3
Great info just gotta say here though, weather magic is most definitely a thing.
(Also for anyone confused: Magic – or “magick” – is very real, so I think OP was just referring to magic portrayed by pop culture specifically, which, like they said, is fake.